Scottish Executive

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with suspected cancer in the Argyll & Clyde NHS Board area failed to receive a hospital appointment within two weeks after the referral from their general practitioner in each year since 1999-2000.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with suspected cancer failed to receive an appointment within two weeks after the referral from their general practitioner to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, in each year since 1999-2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

  The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland recently completed its assessments of breast, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer services across Scotland, including where applicable referral standards. National reports setting out their assessments are expected to be published in the near future.

  Aggregated information derived from prospective clinical audit of cancer services may be available locally about referral times where a cancer diagnosis has been confirmed. Contact details for Chief Executives of NHS boards and trusts are available from www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

Cancer

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why Capecitabine is currently not available to cancer patients in hospitals in the west of Glasgow.

Malcolm Chisholm: Capecitabine is available on NHS prescription for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Its use depends on the clinical judgement of specialists experienced in the management of cancer, informed by advice and evidence about its use.

Census

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make access to the online 1901 census details available free of charge to schools for use in history and modern studies classes.

Dr Richard Simpson: The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has no plans to make online access to the 1901 census through the Scots Origins website available free of charge to schools. The process of making these records available online involved considerable expenditure on the part of the taxpayer, which needs to be recouped. Income from the site is also ploughed back into expanding and improving the service.

  The GROS is, however, looking at other options for facilitating and broadening access to its online service by institutions on behalf of their users.

  Many local authority library and archive services have bought microfilm copies of the census returns for their areas, and it is of course open to them to make these available to schools as freely as they wish.

Census

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will arrange for access to information held by the General Register Office for Scotland which is available online for paid usage to be provided free of charge to schools for use in history and modern studies classes.

Dr Richard Simpson: The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has no plans to provide free of charge to schools the information held by it and available online.

  The GROS currently has its major Digital Imaging of the Genealogical Records of Scotland's people (DIGROS) programme under way. This aims by the end of 2003 to provide access online to digital images of all the historical records GROS holds (beginning with the 1901 Scottish census). This programme involves considerable expenditure on the part of the taxpayer, which needs to be recouped. Income from the site is also ploughed back into expanding and improving the service.

  The GROS is, however, looking at other options for facilitating and broadening access to its online service by institutions on behalf of their users.

  Many local authority library and archive services have bought microfilm copies of the old parochial registers and various census returns for their areas, and it is of course open to them to make these available to schools as freely as they wish.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether pilot schemes have been established to provide alternative fluoride programmes in areas where fluoridation of the water supply is not a feasible alternative, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: No pilot schemes have yet been established.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of the expansion of qualified professions complementary to dentistry for clinical based programmes to help the elderly, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Mrs Mary Mulligan: A sub-group on Oral Health of the Elderly has been established to support the implementation of the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland . This group is currently carrying out a review of the issues relevant to improving the oral health of the elderly, which includes assessment of a range of options for improving care to this age group.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the proposals for oral cancer surveillance and improved preventive services for the elderly, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: Outline proposals for oral cancer screening were submitted to the Chief Scientist’s Office (CSO) in October 2001. The applicants have been invited to proceed to full application which will be subject to CSO Committee review.

  The Subgroup on Oral Health of the Elderly, set up to support implementation of the Scottish Dental Action Plan, is looking at the issues relevant to improving the oral health of the elderly. The Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on the Health of Older People has recently been considering ways of improving the oral health of older people, as a part of a wider health review.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical assistant posts have been created in (a) orthodontics, (b) surgical dentistry and (c) paediatric dentistry, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18318 on 22 November 2001, which dealt with the same issue. That answer still applies.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the managed clinical networks linking general dental practitioner (GDP) specialists with hospital services and other GDPs are now in place, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The networks recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland  are not currently in place. Discussions are on-going with the profession and the service providers on the development of all aspects of the Action Plan.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the target of 120 graduates per annum, as recommended in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland, is sufficient to meet the demands for increased availability of, and access to, dental services.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The number of dentists working in Scotland has increased constantly over the last 30 years and by 300 in the last eight years, and we are committed to increasing numbers further. The Scottish Advisory Committee for the Dental Workforce (SACDW) advises on the most effective way to achieve this.

  The size of the graduate output is only one of the various factors which influence the supply of and access to practising dentists. The current target output of 120 is considered to be the level appropriate to expected demands, on the information currently available. Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education with ISD Scotland are improving the information available by mapping the characteristics and supply dynamics of the dental workforce. Once this information is available, SACDW will consider the findings and will recommend on the most appropriate method to increase the number of dentists working in primary care in Scotland.

Enterprise

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from the Department of Trade and Industry about (a) the number of Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres in Scotland and (b) the level of funding for each centre.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres (IMRCs) are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of their Innovative Manufacturing Programme. The first 12 IMRCs were announced in November 2001 and were awarded on the basis of national excellence in manufacturing research.

  Although none of the 12 initial centres are located in Scotland, a tranche two IMRC involving Glasgow, Cardiff, Cambridge and Surrey Universities has been approved for funding. The start date is currently under negotiation, and the University of Glasgow is expected to be awarded more than £1 million. Another tranche two centre at Heriot-Watt University in the area of photonics is currently under review.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful prosecutions there have been against skippers for fishing offences in each of the past five years.

Ross Finnie: The numbers of successful prosecutions taken against skippers in Scottish courts for fisheries related offences over the past five years are as follows:

  


Year 
  

Skipper Prosecutions 
  



1997 
  

97 
  



1998 
  

70 
  



1999 
  

63 
  



2000 
  

48 
  



2001 
  

62 
  



Total 
  

340

Fisheries

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect and promote coarse fish species and coarse fishing.

Allan Wilson: I am currently considering responses to the Green Paper, Scotland’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries: Securing their Future . This contained a number of proposed initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting both Scotland’s game and coarse fish and fisheries.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any increase in cases involving (a) clinical and (b) medical negligence against the NHS in Scotland over the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: There is no distinction drawn between clinical and medical cases. Over the last three years there has been a fall in the number of cases intimated to the NHSScotland.

  


1998-99 
  

534 new cases 
  



1999-2000 
  

490 new cases 
  



2000-01 
  

460 new cases

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether conducting three Health Technology Assessments by December 2002 is an adequate use of the funding allocated to the Health Technology Board for Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: In addition to completing the three Health Technology Assessments currently on its work programme, HTBS will add further Health Technology Assessments to its work programme, continue to provide HTBS Comments on NICE Guidance (eight published last year and approximately 30 anticipated this), and develop and support the work of the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the period by which the Health Technology Board for Scotland must deliver its comments on all National Institute of Clinical Excellence Technology Appraisal Guidance to the NHS in Scotland will be reduced from its current level of six to ten weeks to its target level of four to eight weeks.

Malcolm Chisholm: As stated in the Health Technology Board for Scotland's (HTBS) Purpose, aims and objectives , the board will comment on all National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidance within four to eight weeks from the 5th Wave of the NICE Work Programme. From the 5th Wave, HTBS is a full consultee on all NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance and this will reduce the timescale for HTBS Comments. The first of the 5th Wave Technology Appraisal Guidance is expected in May 2002.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to identify any barriers which may exist in connection with the involvement of the public in the Health Technology Board for Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive conducts quarterly review meetings with the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) to discuss progress on its work programme, including the involvement of the public in the board's work. Executive staff also attends HTBS meetings and Topic Specific Group meeting as observers.

  HTBS draws on the expert advice of its Public Involvement Working Group to identify any barriers to public involvement. It also benefits from experience gained from working with the Executive's Partners in Change programme and is incorporating the guidance provided by the Scottish Executive in Patient Focus and Public Involvement into its public involvement strategy.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the Health Technology Board for Scotland conducts independent Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) rather than adapting HTAs for use within Scotland which have been conducted by other organisations.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) is conducting its own Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) details of which can be found at its website at www.htbs.org.uk . In addition to this, HTBS will use its expertise to adapt HTAs from other recognised, international HTA organisations when their assessments are suitable and provide beneficial information for Scotland.

  Similarly, in line with the scientific principle of sharing knowledge from research, it can be expected that other organisations may adapt HTBS' assessments for use in their own countries.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Health Technology Board for Scotland is adequately informing the public and clinical communities about all stages of its assessment processes.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) informs the public and clinical communities about its assessments in a variety of ways. These include: involving health professionals and patient representatives throughout assessments in the Topic Specific Groups formed for each assessment; publishing regular updates on its website; announcing key developments in press releases; conducting focus groups with patients; circulating work programmes and updates; and holding public consultation meetings at the beginning of the public consultation phase for each assessment. For example, in November last year, more than 130 health professionals and patients and carers attended HTBS workshops about its assessment of the organisation for services for diabetic retinopathy screening.

  Additionally, HTBS draws on the expertise of its Public Involvement Working Group, NHS Reference Group, Advisory Council, and Communications Reference Group to improve, continuously, information provided to the public and clinical communities.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Health Technology Board for Scotland’s target of conducting 25 Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) by December 2006 is adequate and whether these HTAs will be independent of guidelines issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Malcolm Chisholm: Given the depth and breadth of Health Technology Assessments conducted by the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS), their advice from 25 Health Technology Assessments by December 2006 is expected to make a substantial contribution to improving Scotland's health. These assessments will take account of all relevant international evidence. In addition, HTBS will provide comments on all NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance.

  If a new drug is already on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal Guidance work programme, HTBS will usually await the publication of the NICE Guidance and then provide an authoritative comment on it.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of the 25 Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) due to be conducted by the Health Technology Board for Scotland by December 2006 will be based solely on new drugs and devices or whether some of the HTAs will be based on existing drugs and devices.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) aims to have a balanced work programme. Its current assessments already include existing drugs and devices, and new devices, and deal with broad issues around the optimal organisation of healthcare in Scotland. The aim is to create a balance between new and existing technologies.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to recruit more staff to the Health Technology Board for Scotland on an annual salary above £35,000.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland will continue to recruit specialist scientific staff to fill current vacancies in its in-house Appraisals Team. Some of these may be paid a salary above £35,000 depending on their experience and seniority, in line with the NHS Whitley Council Clinical Scientists Grade.

Health Technology Board for Scotland

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to instruct NHS boards to make any drugs available to clinicians before such drugs have been approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Health Technology Board for Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) will make recommendations to all NHS Boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees about the formulary status of all newly licensed medicines, all new formulations of existing medicines and any major new indications for established products. SMC's recommendations will be made as soon as practicable after the launch of the product involved.

Higher Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any increase in the level of courses not completed by students at Scottish universities, particularly in respect of courses offering access to disadvantaged people, in line with any such experience in the rest of the UK.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Information on course completion by higher education institution can be found in Table 5 of the Performance Indicators on Higher Education in the UK, published by the Higher Education Funding Councils in December 2001. Courses specifically intended to enable access to higher education are not separately identified in these figures.

  The publication also provides information on participation among those from various disadvantaged groups. However, there is no direct link to non-completion.

  Copies of the document, and of previous years’ publications, are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18498) or on the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council’s website at:

  www.shefc.ac.uk/content/library/press/2001/prhe2701.htm

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of bed days lost as a result of hospital acquired infections was in each NHS hospital in the Forth Valley Health Board area in each of the past three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many infection control nurses there are, broken down by NHS/health board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

  Prior to 30 September 2001, a new occupation code was introduced on the Scottish Standard Payroll System (SSPS) to identify infection control nurses and trusts were asked to record the appropriate staff in this category. It is hoped that this data will be available in April 2002 by trust or NHS board.

Hospitals

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many intensive care beds there were in 2001, broken down by (a) health board and (b) NHS trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: The latest figures for the average number of intensive care beds in the period April to November 2001, as collated by the Scottish Intensive Care Society, shows the following:

  


Health Board/Acute Trust 
  

No. of ICU beds 
  



NHS Argyll &Clyde 
  

8 
  



NHS Ayrshire & Arran 
  

9 
  



NHS Borders 
  

3 
  



NHS Dumfries & Galloway 
  

4 
  



NHS Fife 
  

10 
  



NHS Forth Valley 
  

9 
  



NHS Grampian 
  

9 
  



NHS Greater Glasgow (North Trust) 
  

19 
  



NHS Greater Glasgow (South Trust) 
  

10 
  



NHS Highland 
  

6 
  



NHS Lanarkshire 
  

15 
  



NHS Lothian (University) 
  

19 
  



NHS Lothian (West Lothian) 
  

4 
  



NHS Tayside 
  

10 
  



Total 
  

135 
  



  This data excludes neuro ICU at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, paediatric ICU, coronary care units and cardiac ICU beds.

  These figures do not include the planned expansion of intensive care units in order to manage winter pressures. These plans allow ICUs in Scotland to expand to around 145 beds for extended periods, stretching to around 170 beds for short periods. Final figures on the average number of beds available in 2001 will not be available from the Scottish Intensive Care Society until later this year.

Hospitals

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients who required an intensive care bed have been transferred between hospitals in order to be accommodated in such a bed in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) health board and (b) NHS trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the number of patients admitted to intensive care beds on transfer from another hospital obtained from national general acute in-patient/day case discharge data is shown in the following table. It is not possible from this data source to identify the reasons for these transfers.

  General acute discharges from Intensive Care Units where patient admitted from another NHS Trust, years ended 31 March: 1998-20011

  


Health Board/Location of Treatment 
  

Year ended 31 March: 
  



1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001p




Scotland 
  

556 
  

592 
  

570 
  

506 
  



Health Board 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

13 
  

20 
  

17 
  

14 
  



Ayr & Arran 
  

34 
  

28 
  

15 
  

22 
  



Borders 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  

3 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1 
  

4 
  

4 
  

5 
  



Fife 
  

23 
  

29 
  

22 
  

14 
  



Forth Valley 
  

6 
  

7 
  

9 
  

5 
  



Grampian 
  

39 
  

44 
  

28 
  

22 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

231 
  

266 
  

254 
  

244 
  



Highland 
  

18 
  

10 
  

17 
  

13 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

28 
  

29 
  

35 
  

35 
  



Lothian 
  

139 
  

141 
  

154 
  

125 
  



Tayside 
  

22 
  

13 
  

12 
  

4 
  



Hospital/Location of Treatment 
  



A111H Crosshouse Hospital 
  

22 
  

21 
  

8 
  

16 
  



A210H The Ayr Hospital 
  

12 
  

7 
  

7 
  

6 
  



B120H Borders General Hospital 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  

3 
  



C313H Inverclyde Royal Hospital 
  

1 
  

5 
  

5 
  

2 
  



C418H Royal Alexandra Hospital 
  

12 
  

15 
  

12 
  

12 
  



F704H Victoria Hospital 
  

4 
  

6 
  

3 
  

2 
  



F805H Queen Margaret Hospital 
  

19 
  

23 
  

19 
  

12 
  



G107H Glasgow Royal Infirmary 
  

45 
  

65 
  

28 
  

46 
  



G207H Stobhill Hospital 
  

23 
  

40 
  

39 
  

27 
  



G306H Victoria Infirmary 
  

19 
  

25 
  

20 
  

22 
  



G405H Southern General Hospital 
  

11 
  

18 
  

8 
  

12 
  



G513H Royal Hospital for Sick Children 
  

63 
  

57 
  

62 
  

72 
  



G516H Western Infirmary/Gartnavel General 
  

70 
  

61 
  

92 
  

65 
  



G517V Health Care International Hospital 
  

- 
  

- 
  

5 
  

- 
  



H202H Raigmore Hospital 
  

18 
  

10 
  

17 
  

13 
  



L106H Monklands Hospital 
  

4 
  

14 
  

12 
  

7 
  



L208H Law Hospital 
  

16 
  

11 
  

17 
  

27 
  



L302H Hairmyres Hospital 
  

8 
  

4 
  

6 
  

1 
  



N101H Aberdeen Royal Infirmary 
  

39 
  

43 
  

28 
  

22 
  



N121H Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  



S116H Western General Hospital 
  

41 
  

38 
  

16 
  

18 
  



S209H Liberton Hospital 
  

 


 


 


 




S225H Royal Hospital for Sick Children 
  

47 
  

40 
  

82 
  

58 
  



S226H Royal Infirmary 
  

42 
  

49 
  

39 
  

38 
  



S308H St John's Hospital At Howden 
  

9 
  

14 
  

17 
  

11 
  



T101H Ninewells Hospital 
  

17 
  

10 
  

11 
  

2 
  



T107H Royal Victoria Hospital 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



T202H Perth Royal Infirmary 
  

5 
  

3 
  

1 
  

2 
  



T312H Strathcathro Hospital 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



V102H Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  

2 
  



V201H Stirling Royal Infirmary 
  

4 
  

6 
  

6 
  

3 
  



Y104H Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary 
  

1 
  

4 
  

4 
  

5 
  



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR1/01.

  p Provisional.

  Note:

  1. Data on intensive care units, not explicitly collected prior to April 1997.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it carried out to ensure that its crofting community right to buy proposals contained in the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has to be satisfied that its legislative proposals are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. It has been aware from the outset that the legislation on the Crofting Community Right to Buy would require to be formulated carefully to achieve compliance with the convention. Ministers have sought and been given legal advice on the provisions necessary to achieve that outcome.

Listed Buildings

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it has taken, or plans to take, to preserve the heritage of Craigmaddie and Mugdock Reservoirs, whose tunnel entrances, retaining wall and bridge are Category B listed.

Mike Watson: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows:

  Action to protect listed structures, such as those parts of Craigmaddie and Mugdock Reservoirs, may be taken under powers set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. Such action is, in the first place, the responsibility of the relevant planning authority, in this case East Dunbartonshire Council. I understand that the proposals affecting Craigmaddie and Mugdock Reservoirs are still under active consideration by East Dunbartonshire Council.

Museums

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much special grant aid was promised to museums for transitional purposes pending the final outcomes of the National Audit of Collections; how much such aid has been paid, and to whom.

Dr Elaine Murray: The National Cultural Strategy committed the Executive to initiate a national audit of collections in museums and galleries, beginning with the industrial museums. £250,000 has been made available for the audit and an interim report was published in October 2001. In addition, a Strategic Change Fund of £3 million over three years has been announced for the sector. In December 2000, the Executive announced a funding package of £1.26 million over three years towards the running costs of the Scottish Fisheries Museum, the Scottish Maritime Museum and the Scottish Mining Museum in recognition of their financial difficulties, and grants of £60,000, £160,000 and £200,000 respectively have been paid during the financial year 2001-02. In addition, a further £110,000 has been paid in 2001-02 to the Scottish Maritime Museum to address their cash flow and deficit problems.

Museums

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing its policy on museums.

Dr Elaine Murray: The National Cultural Strategy committed the Executive to initiate a national audit of collections in museums and galleries, beginning with the industrial museums. £250,000 has been made available for the audit and an interim report was published in October 2001 by Scottish Museums Council. The final report will be published later this year. The audit will inform strategic policy and planning for the sector, including the consideration of a comprehensive national framework for the sector as set out in the National Cultural Strategy.

  In addition, a Strategic Change Fund of £3 million over three years has been announced for the sector. The criteria for access to the fund are being developed by Scottish Museums Council at present. In December 2000, the Executive announced a funding package of £1.26 million over three years towards the running costs of the Scottish Fisheries Museum, the Scottish Maritime Museum and the Scottish Mining Museum in recognition of their financial difficulties, with a further £110,000 for the Scottish Maritime Museum in 2001-02.

  The National Cultural Strategy undertook to increase access to collections by means of ICT, including securing the future of SCRAN (the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network). The Executive has now awarded a grant of £120,000 to SCRAN.

Museums

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input the Scottish Museums Council has had to the development of a national policy on museums.

Dr Elaine Murray: Scottish Museums Council is the Executive’s main adviser on local museums and the main channel of Executive support for Scotland's 400 or so local museums and galleries. Scottish Museums Council is conducting the national audit of the museums sector, and is leading on developing the criteria for the Strategic Change Fund, and sits on the steering group for industrial museums. Officials have regular meetings with Scottish Museums Council to discuss key policy issues. I have agreed to meet next month with the Director, Jane Ryder, to discuss future developments in the museum sector.

Museums

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what international best practice on funding for museums is informing the development of a national policy on museums.

Dr Elaine Murray: There could be difficulties in deciding how international best practice can inform the development of national policy on museums in Scotland. We will take account of best international practice taking appropriate account of the differences in historic pattern of provision, legal and financial frameworks between Scotland and other countries.

Museums

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans ministers have to visit Kilmartin House Museum in Argyll; whether any visits planned by ministers in the last 12 months have been cancelled, and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have no plans to visit Kilmartin Museum. The Scottish Executive has responsibility for the National Museums and Galleries, whereas responsibility for the 400 or so non-national museums lies with local agencies.

  I understand that arrangements had been made for Allan Wilson in his capacity as Deputy Minister for Sport, Arts and Culture to visit Kilmartin Museum but the visit had to be cancelled due to pressing parliamentary business. Subsequently, a meeting with ministers was offered in either Glasgow or Edinburgh. The offer was not accepted.

  I understand that Scottish Museums Council, who advise the Executive on local museum matters, have invited representatives of the Kilmartin House Trust to a meeting to take place shortly.

National Parks

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated for the proposed Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park so far and what further allocations are expected to be made.

Allan Wilson: In the current financial year £2.15 million has been allocated for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Interim Committee, with further funding of up to £350,000 made available for the Gateway Centre at Lomond Shores. For 2002-03 an allocation of £3.8 million has been made in respect of both the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and the Cairngorms National Parks. We shall keep the budget under review but can make no commitment at this stage to making additional assistance available.

Nursing

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor the number of agency nursing staff currently employed in NHS trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: Data on the number and cost of agency staff is already collected and for 2000-01 has recently been made available on ISD online, this can be viewed on:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htm.

  Use of agency nurses is included in the Staff Governance Standard and will be assessed by local partnership forums using a self-assessment tool designed in conjunction with Audit Scotland.

Nursing

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage increase there was in the level of agency nursing staff employed in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 compared with the previous year, broken down by each NHS trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: The table shows the percentage increase, or decrease, in the average whole time equivalent of agency nursing staff in 2000-01 compared with 1999-2000 by trust. The percentage increase for 1999-2000 compared with 1998-99 is not available due to the reconfiguration of trusts in 1999. Information on agency nurse usage within NHSScotland will be routinely published on ISD’s website at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htm.

  


Agency Nursing Staff Usage by Trust
Average Whole Time Equivalent 1


1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

% increase 2 between 2000-01 
  and 1999-2000 
  



Scotland 
  

562.1 
  

725.1 
  

29% 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute Trust 
  

28.3 
  

8.0 
  

-(72%) 
  



Lomond & Argyll PCT 
  

4.9 
  

4.3 
  

-(12%) 
  



Renfrew & Inverclyde PCT 
  

- 
  

58.0 
  

x 
  



Ayrshire & Arran Acute Trust 
  

11.0 
  

8.3 
  

-(25%) 
  



Borders PCT 
  

0.3 
  

0.6 
  

(100%) 
  



Fife Acute Trust 
  

18.4 
  

33.0 
  

79% 
  



Fife PCT 
  

8.8 
  

12.9 
  

(47%) 
  



Forth Valley Acute Trust 
  

4.2 
  

8.1 
  

(93%) 
  



Forth Valley PCT 
  

15.9 
  

10.1 
  

-36% 
  



Grampian University Hosps 
  

17.6 
  

26.8 
  

52% 
  



Grampian PCT 
  

3.2 
  

1.4 
  

-(56%) 
  



N. Glasgow University Hosps 
  

92.6 
  

141.7 
  

53% 
  



S. Glasgow University Hosps 
  

81.5 
  

76.2 
  

-7% 
  



Yorkhill Trust 
  

7.5 
  

8.0 
  

(7%) 
  



Greater Glasgow PCT 
  

0.5 
  

6.7 
  

(1240%) 
  



Highland Acute Trust 
  

22.7 
  

2.4 
  

-(89%) 
  



Highland PCT 
  

5.1 
  

7.4 
  

(45%) 
  



Lanarkshire Acute Trust 
  

3.6 
  

33.6 
  

(833%) 
  



Lanarkshire PCT 
  

1.2 
  

4.4 
  

(267%) 
  



Lothian University Hosps 
  

217.8 
  

236.7 
  

9% 
  



W. Lothian Healthcare 
  

1.3 
  

6.4 
  

(392%) 
  



Lothian PCT 
  

6.1 
  

10.9 
  

(79%) 
  



Tayside University Hosps 
  

5.8 
  

18.4 
  

(217%) 
  



Tayside PCT 
  

3.2 
  

0.6 
  

-(81%) 
  



Shetland 
  

0.5 
  

0.2 
  

-(60%) 
  



  Source: ISD(M)18 ISD Scotland.

  x. Not applicable.

  Notes:

  1. To calculate the average whole time equivalent (W.T.E.), 1 W.T.E. is taken as a contribution of 37.5 hours per week x 52 = 1,950 hours per year i.e. W.T.E = total hours worked /1,950.

  2. A positive percentage represents an increase between the two years shown and a negative percentage represents a decrease. Percentages corresponding to less than 10 WTE are bracketed.

Nursing

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the employment of more full-time nursing staff in all NHS trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: Following the Nursing and Recruitment Convention held in November 2001, the Scottish Executive has published an Action Plan entitled Facing the Future  which sets out a range of measures and initiatives aimed at encouraging the employment of more full-time nursing staff in NHS Trusts.

  An Implementation Group has been established and I chaired the first meeting on 22 January.

Public Sector Ombudsman

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the proposed Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman will be able to begin accepting referrals for investigation.

Peter Peacock: The date on which the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman can begin exercising functions will depend on the timing of completion of consideration of the bill currently before the Parliament, and completion of the appointment process by the Parliament.

Road Signs

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many separate pieces of information for motorists are displayed within a quarter mile radius of the Ballinluig junction of the A9, and of these, how many would be removed if a grade-separated junction was in place at this location.

Lewis Macdonald: There is a combined total of 116 signs on the A9 and A827 within a quarter mile radius of the Ballinluig junction. Of the 49 signs that would not be required if the junction were to be grade-separated, 40 are on the A9. However, there could be a requirement for up to 30 new signs for a grade-separated junction.

Scotland Act 1998

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it has in place to liase with Her Majesty’s Government over possible Orders in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive and the UK Government liase closely as a matter of course in relation to possible Orders in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act.

Special Advisers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19901 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 January 2002, whether it will name any special advisers to the former First Minister who worked with him on constituency correspondence and matters relating to his constituency accounts over the period from 2 November to 5 November 2001.

Mr Andy Kerr: I have nothing to add to the answer given to question S1W-19901 on 11 January 2002.

Telecommunications

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when checks are made on emissions from telecommunications masts, consideration is given to the amalgam of cumulative emissions at peak times from a single telecommunication mast equipped with multiple antennae.

Ms Margaret Curran: The audit of mobile phone base stations set up in response to the recommendations of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart Group) is being carried out by the Radiocommunications Agency (RA).

  The RA, when conducting its initial audit of mobile telephone base stations on school sites, did not automatically calculate the amalgam of cumulative emissions at peak times. The audit was designed to measure accurately all emissions received at the measurement location at the time when the audit was undertaken.

  Nonetheless, the RA was alert to the possibility that at the time of each audit not all channels from any particular base station would, necessarily, be transmitting. Consequently the RA decided to carry out more detailed measurements where the measurements taken were found to be higher than 1/100th of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. However, these additional measurements did not prove necessary as during the course of the many thousands of measurements made during the 101 audits, the highest measurement recorded was 1/279th of the ICNIRP guidelines. Typically measurement levels were found to be many thousands of times below the ICNIRP guidelines.

Tourism

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with VisitScotland and the local tourist boards regarding establishing the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park as a visitor destination.

Mike Watson: None. Responsibility for marketing the area of the National Park is an operational matter for VisitScotland and the Local Area Tourist Board.

Water Authorities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of the construction of the proposed water treatment plant and associated works for each of the 16 potential development areas considered by the West of Scotland Water Authority as part of the Katrine Water Project.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for West of Scotland Water. The Chief Executive’s response is:

  For each potential development area, a number of scheme options exist around the treatment plant and associated works. These options include, inter alia, various configurations of treatment works size and treatment process, connecting pipework, storage reservoir provision and pump installations.

  For the 16 potential development areas considered, 190 possible options were costed on a comparative basis*. The range of comparative costs, as identified in Table D6.1 of the Environmental Statement, including capital and operating costs over the lifetime of the works, ranges between £85 million and £130 million.

  * It should be noted that it is normal practice in the consideration of alternatives to consider comparative costs and not absolute costs.

Water Authorities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used by the West of Scotland Water Authority to shortlist the potential development areas for the Katrine Water Project and why the study area was not extended beyond Milngavie in the west and Balmore treatment works in the east.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for West of Scotland Water. The Chief Executive’s response is:

  The criteria used to short list the potential development areas for the Katrine Water Project are detailed in Table D6.2 of the Environmental Statement for the project, together with the primary observations made under each criteria against each area. The criteria can be grouped under three main headings:

  Economics: The total comparative cost of developing a scheme around a potential development area, including capital and operating costs for the lifetime of the works.

  Environment: Impacts on people, the natural and cultural heritage and energy use.

  Engineering: The anticipated ground conditions, available land, topography, local services and service corridor for connection of infrastructure.

  As described in appendix D6.1 of the Environmental Statement for the project the study area extends from 2.5 miles West of Milngavie to Balmore WTW 5 km East of Milngavie. The study area naturally derived itself from consideration of several fundamental criteria, namely; location of raw water supply (i.e. existing Milngavie raw water reservoirs), location of water distribution infrastructure (i.e. existing Milngavie Water Treatment Works and existing Glasgow bulk water supply pipework) and the elevation relative to Milngavie reservoirs. In addition, other considerations included use of existing assets (i.e. existing Balmore Water Treatment Works), land ownership, current land use and land character. On this basis no significant economic, environmental or engineering benefit was identified in extending the study area beyond that considered.

Water Authorities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the preferred option for the Katrine Water Project compares to the other options in relation to (a) energy consumption and CO 2 emissions and (b) maintenance of pumping infrastructure and other pipework.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for West of Scotland Water. The Chief Executive’s response is:

  (a) Energy consumption is one of many environmental criteria considered in the selection of the preferred option for the Katrine Water Project. Question S1W-22092 (answered on 4 February 2002) sets out the methodology used to consider all environmental criteria.

  The preferred option, like many other options considered, uses available treatment capacity at Balmore Water Treatment Works (WTW). In so doing these options significantly reduce the overall energy consumption of the Loch Lomond Water Supply Scheme from current levels. Present predictions indicate that this benefit could offer a potential annual saving in the order of 8.5 kWh from current energy levels in the Lomond Scheme if 100 Ml/d is transferred to Balmore WTW from Katrine aqueducts.

  For all those options considered that use available treatment capacity within Balmore, the total energy consumption ranged between 14.5 million kWh/annum and 23.8 million kWh/annum (based on estimated average water consumption). The energy consumption for the preferred option is estimated as 19.7 million kWh/annum) which lies in the mid-range of options.

  Using government figures1 the following annual CO2 consumption equivalents are calculated;

  


Energy consumption of Options (using Balmore): 
  

6,000 tonne to 10,000 tonne2




Energy consumption of Preferred Option: 
  

8,000 tonne2




  Notes:

  1. Conversion factors of 0.43 kgCO2/kWh, DETR/DEFRA publication Guidelines on Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

  2. Rounded to nearest 1000 tonne.

  (b) Pumping and pipework elements formed an integral part of all options considered for the Katrine Water project. In relation to maintenance of pumping infrastructure and other pipework, the preferred option compares favourably in a number of areas with other options considered (e.g. number of pump installations, integration with existing infrastructure, pipe pressures, network pressure stabilisation etc.).

  A descriptive summary of how the pumping and pipework maintenance requirements of the preferred option relate to the short-listed options can be found in appraisal Table D9.2 of the Environmental Statement for the project which may be viewed at the planning offices of East Dunbartonshire Council. This information is also presented in Table B2 of the advance extracts of the Environmental Statement which were distributed at a public meeting of the 26 September.

Water Protection Act 1985

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the question S1W-12177 by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 January 2001 and with regard to its responsibilities under section 1(4) of the Water Protection Act 1985, what information it has received from Her Majesty’s Government about any classification of (a) hexafluorosilicic acid and (b) disodium hexafluorosilicate as poisonous substances under EU regulations.

Malcolm Chisholm: These substances have been approved for use in the treatment of drinking water when used in accordance with the document Code Of Practice On Technical Aspects Of Fluoridation . Hexafluorosilicic acid and disodium hexafluorosilicate are not classified as dangerous substances under EU Regulations.

Weeds Act 1959

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the scope of section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 to include Japanese Knotweed.

Ross Finnie: No. The powers in the Weeds Act 1959 arise from the need to safeguard commercial food production.

  In nature conservation terms, Japanese Knotweed is listed in Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and under this act it is an offence to accidentally or deliberately release the species into the wild.

  The Executive is participating in a GB-wide review of the current and potential threats posed by invasive non-native species, including Japanese Knotweed. The review will consider and identify appropriate preventative and damage minimisation strategies and will report to Scottish ministers later this year.